Intercropping Of Sugarcane Research Articles

Intercropping in Sugarcane Cultivation Influenced the Soil Properties and Enhanced the Diversity of Vital Diazotrophic Bacteria

Soil survey was conducted at four different locations of Guangxi, China to investigate the effect of peanut and soybean inter-cropping in sugarcane cultivation on the soil properties and diazotrophic bacterial diversity. Principal component analysis result shown (PCA) showed difference impact of intercropping and monoculture on the basis of biological and chemical properties of soil. Two-way analysis of variance of soil properties showed a significant interactive effect with locations and cultivation systems. Microbial enumeration results demonstrated that intercropping system enhanced the diazotrophic population. After isolation of diazotrophs, 21 selected bacteria were characterized by siderophore, phosphate, indole acetic acid, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase and nitrogenase assay. Among the identified bacteria, isolate MYSP104 showed maximum nitrogenase activity and isolate MYSS78 showed maximum ACC deaminase activity. Partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing results classified these diazotrophs in six phyla (Firmicutes, α, β, Υ-proteobacteria, actinobacteria and bacteroidetes). Diazotrophs such as Bacillus tequilensis, Variovorax paradoxus, Acidovorax facilis, Leucobacter aridicollis, Streptomyces fimicarius and Pseudomonas nitroreducens were reported for the first time from the sugarcane rhizosphere of Guangxi, China. Venn diagram explained that seven bacterial species (Brevibacterium, Burkholderia, Delftia, Leucobacter, Pseudomonas, Sinorhizobium and Variovorax) were recognized with soybean and sugarcane intercropping cultivation systems. This study concluded that intercropping system could enhance the population of N-fixers in soil. Soybean intercropping influenced the soil chemical and biological properties better than peanut. Moreover, the isolated diazotrophs need further characterization and they might be utilized as bio-inoculums for commercial sugarcane production in the future.

Carbon Footprint of Rubber/Sugarcane Intercropping System in Sri Lanka: A Case Study

The global climate has been changing with the elevated CO2 in the atmosphere; hence identification of effective measures to mitigate or combat the adverse effects of climate change is at uttermost importance. The goal of Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) for planting 40,000ha of rubber (Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg.) in the Uva province may partly address this issue sequestering the key greenhouse gas (GHG), CO2. Farmers in the area usually practice intercropping sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) under immature rubber plants for extra income during the initial period of rubber cultivation. In the process of valuing rubber cultivation in mitigating the climate change effect, information on net greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from rubber/sugarcane intercropping system is required. Being scanty of such knowledge, this study was aimed to estimate the carbon footprint in the cultivation of rubber/sugarcane intercropping system in Sri Lanka.GHG emissions from the cultivation of rubber and sugarcane were calculated using the information available in the smallholdings having rubber/sugarcane intercropping in Monaragala district (IL2). GHG emission resulting from raw rubber processing, i.e. Ribbed Smoked Sheets (RSS) and Crepe Rubber (CR), was assessed using the data available in Kumarawatta Estate, Monaragala and Dartonfield Estate, Agalawatta, respectively. Also, GHG emission resulting from processing refined sugar was gathered from Palwatta Sugar Industries (Ltd), Monaragala. Carbon sequestration capacities of both crops were adopted from previous studies. Guidelines of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) were used in the estimation of carbon footprint. GHG emission in the process of cultivating rubber for its lifespan (30 years) was 65.15 CO2-eq ton/ha. When sugarcane was cultivated in rubber lands for four year period as a rubber/sugarcane intercropping system, GHG emission increased only by 9.72 CO2-eq ton/ha. Processing of RSS throughout the lifespan was responsible for additional 93.49 CO2-eq ton/ha emission whilst that for processing CR was limited to 50.14 CO2-eq ton/ha. Processing of refined sugar during four year intercropping period was accountable only for 0.62 CO2-eq ton/ha emission. In conclusion, carbon footprint (Net GHG emission) of cultivating rubber/sugarcane intercrop to produce CR and refined sugar was -1537.02 CO2-eq ton/ha/30yr whilst that for RSS and refined sugar was -1493.73 CO2-eq ton/ha/30yr. Increase in carbon footprint by intercropping sugarcane was only ca. 0.5% over mono cropping rubber. Potential application of this information in developing carbon trading projects is discussed.

Weed management options for sugarcane-vegetable intercropping systems in north-western India

Sugarcane is an important crop in north-western India but due to its long duration annual economic returns tend to be lower than the dominant rice-wheat system. Intercropping of short duration crops in sugarcane could improve profitability and make it more attractive for growers. Sugarcane planted in the autumn season is more suitable for intercropping, as low temperature during winter slows down the growth of sugarcane plants. Therefore, suitability of short duration winter vegetables for intercropping in autumn planted sugarcane and the efficacy of herbicides for weed control in these intercropping systems was investigated over two years. Four cropping systems (sole sugarcane, sugarcane-cabbage, sugarcane-peas and sugarcane-garlic) and six weed control treatments were investigated during 2010–11 and 2011–12. Intercropping of sugarcane with peas, cabbage and garlic produced cane yield (75.3–88.3 t ha−1) similar to sole sugarcane (76.1–86.0 t ha−1) and intercrop yields of 6.28–6.57 t ha−1 for garlic, 7.45–7.88 t ha−1 for peas and 15.3–15.8 t ha−1 for cabbage. The intercropping of these vegetables in sugarcane increased the net monetary returns by 1.74–2.66 fold as compared to sole sugarcane (USD 1648 ha−1). Sugarcane-garlic intercrop had the highest net monetary returns of USD 4384 ha−1 and the highest benefit cost ratio of 2.45; net returns from intercropping of sugarcane with peas and cabbage varied from USD 2873–3094 ha−1. Pre-emergence application of oxyfluorfen 0.234 kg ha−1 and pendimethalin 0.75 kg ha−1 provided similar level of weed control to hand-weeding, and increased the yield of cabbage, peas and garlic than the weedy check. The use of herbicides increased the net returns by USD 229–725 ha−1 as compared to the weedy check.

Electrophysiological and oviposition responses of Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), to compounds rinsed from the surfaces of sugarcane and maize leaves

The Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis, is one of the most important pests of maize (Zea mays) in China. However, the mechanism by which intercropping sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) and maize controls this pest via compounds rinsed from leaf surfaces is still unclear. Electrophysiological and oviposition responses of the Asian corn borer to compounds rinsed from leaf surfaces of sugarcane and maize were studied. Coupled gas chromatographic-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) analyses revealed that O. furnacalis responds to 21 compounds, which are present in both the compounds rinsed from leaf surfaces of sugarcane and maize. The effects of these compounds in concentrations of 5 × 10-3 g/mL or 5 × 10-4 g/mL on female oviposition behaviour were tested. They were attracted to oviposit on substrates coated with most of the test compounds, except nonanal. It is suggested that the compounds from the leaf surfaces of sugarcane induced O. furnacalis females to oviposit because most of them are similar to maize's leaf surface compounds, which results in a reduction in the number of egg masses laid on maize leaves.

Effects of intercropping sugarcane and soybean on growth, rhizosphere soil microbes, nitrogen and phosphorus availability

The effects of sugarcane plantation intercropped with soybean on plant growth, yield, enzyme activity, nitrogen and phosphorus contents, the microbe quantity of rhizosphere soil were investigated. Results showed that dry weight of biomass and yield under sugarcane/soybean intercropping were increased by 35.44 and 30.57 % for sugarcane, and decreased by 16.12 and 9.53 % (100-grain weight) for soybean, respectively. The nitrogenase activity of intercropping soybean nodule was significantly increased by 57.4 % as compared with that in monoculture models. The urease activities of intercrops sugarcane and soybean were promoted by 89 and 81 % as compared to that of the monoculture models, respectively. The effective nitrogen and phosphorus contents of rhizospheric soil of intercrops sugarcane and soybean were increased by 66 and 311.7 %, respectively, as compared to those in the monoculture system. Microbe number of rhizosphere soil in the intercropping pattern increased significantly as compared to those in the monoculture models. The quantities of bacteria, fungi, and actinomyces increased by 42.62, 14.5 and 78.5 % in the intercropping sugarcane, while the intercropping soybean increased by 188, 183 and 73 %, respectively. Therefore, growing sugarcanes in combination with soybean can be considered a good agriculture management practice, helping to promote plant growth, yield and increase soil nutrients.

The progress of research on sugarcane intercropping

This paper is a brief view of ongoing advances in sugarcane intercropping research and key future research directions on sugarcane intercropping. Reasonable sugarcane intercropping system enhances crop growth and light interception, ensures simulta-neous soil exhaustion and restoration with enhanced soil nutrition, and reduces the incidence of pest and disease. However, there exists limited study on the mechanisms of beneficial ecological effects of sugarcane intercropping. Future research should therefore focus on nutrition uptake, utilization and transfer mechanisms, and the relationships among nutrition transfer and environmental factors under intercropping.

Effect of ryegrass intercropping on the yield and net profit of autumn planted sugarcane

Field studies were conducted on the intercropping of ryegrass in autumn planted sugarcane on sandy loam soil at Regional Research Station (PAU), Kheri (Sangrur) during 2000–01 and 2001–02. Cane yield reduced significantly with the sowing of ryegrass as intercrop in sugarcane. However, maximum reduction in cane yield was recorded with the sowing of two rows of ryegrass where double cut was taken for green fodder. The intercropping systems as sugarcane + ryegrass single cut (1:1), sugarcane + ryegrass double cut (1:1) and sugarcane + ryegrass single cut (1:2) gave statistically higher net profit which was of Rs.13904, 4987 and 6338 per hectare more as compared to sole crop of sugarcane. The lowest net profit was observed under the sugarcane + ryegrass double cut (1:2) could be due to the higher competition with the main crop of sugarcane for inputs and natural resources as soil and water. There is need of further research work to find out the fertilizer requirement for sugarcane + ryegrass intercropping because ryegrass response to nitrogen is very high being a high yielding, fast growing and multicut grass.

Intercropping of Sugarcane with Onion and Potato Followed by Sesame in Paired Row System

Intercropping of Sugarcane with Onion and Potato Followed by Sesame in Paired Row System

Relative profitability of intercropping vegetable crops in autumn planted sugarcane

A field experiment was conducted consecutively for three years at P.A.U. Sugarcane Research Station, Jalandhar to study the relative performance of different vegetable crops viz. pea, radish, palak and turnip as double row intercroped in the autumn planted sugarcane. The results revealed that intercropping of peas did not affect the cane yield over the pure cane. The intercropping of radish, turnip and palak decreased the cane yield by 5.1, 7.4 and 11.5% respectively over pure cane. The highest net profit of Rs. 26785/ha was obtained from cane + peas. This was closely followed by cane + radish (Rs. 26404) and cane + palak (Rs. 24494/ha) in comparison to Rs. 17848/ha with pure crop. The intercropping of sugarcane with turnip was found economically unviable.

Weed infestation and shoot borer incidence in sugarcane intercropped with aggregatum onion (Allium cepa var.aggregatum) under Garden Land conditions

Field observations on weed infestation and early shoot borer incidence in sugarcane + aggregatum onion intercropping systems under different row arrangements, were recorded during the intercropping period under garden land conditions. The intercropping of onion was not very effective in reducing the weed biomass eventhough there was marginal reduction in weed dry weight under the intercropping situations compared to the sole crop of sugarcane. Significantly lower dry weight of weeds was observed under. normal row spaced (90 cm) than the wide row (120 and 150 cm) spaced cane. Onion as intercrop in sugarcane could not compete with fast and aggressive weeds likeTrianthema portulacastrum, Amaranthus viridis, Parthenium hysterophorus andCynodon dactylon in the experiment. The percentage of shoot borer incidence was also not significantly affected due to intercropping of onion in the system because of the lower shoot borer incidence (7.6-11.2%) observed in the experiment plots than the general economic threshold value of around 15-20% damage.

Intercropping of medicinal and high value crops in autumn sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrid) for higher productivity and profitability

A field experiment was conducted during autumn season of 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 at sugarcane ex- perimental area (Ladhowal), Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana to assess the profitability of intercropping of medicinal and high value crops in autumn planted sugarcane(Saccharum spp. hybrid). Gobhi sarson (Brassica napus L.), canola type GSC 5 and GSC 6 and non canola type varieties GSL 2, celery (Apium graveolens L.) local, barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) VJM 201 and radish (Raphanus sativus L.) Punjab Pasand for seed purpose were evaluated as intercrops. Out of 9 combinations of intercropping, sugarcane+ gobhi sarson GSL 2 (1: 1) re- corded the highest cane equivalent yield of 87.95 t/ha, which was 22 % higher than that of sole crop of sugarcane. The economic analysis also indicated that sugarcane+gobhi sarson GSL 2 (1: 1) recorded the highest net profit of 80,894/ha, followed by intercropping of sugarcane + celery (1:2) and sugarcane + gobhi sarson GSC 5 (1:2) + with 29.0%, 26.9% and 22.2% higher net returns over sole crop of sugarcane, respectively. However, different intercrops did not show any significant effect on cane quality in terms of pol % juice and commercial cane sugar (CCS %).

Productivity and economics of sugarcane (Saccharum officinanrm) based production systems in subtropical India

A field experiment was conducted at the Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow, during 1996 98 and 1998 2000 with 3 cropping systems, viz. wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Fiori Paol.) sugarcane (Saccha rum officinarum L.), sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) sugarcane and sunflower sugarcane, and 3 planting ma terials for sugarcane (conventional 3 bud setts setts obtained from 750 ppm a.i. ethephon sprayed solution in seed cane 10 days before planting and polythene bag raised settlings PBS). The highest number of millable canes (158,70Olha), cane yield (116.9 tonneslha) and cane equivalent yield (145.9 tonneslha) were obtained when sugarcane (ethephon sprayed) was planted with spring sunflower. Sugarcane intercropping with sunflower increased 41.43% cane yield (1 11 tonneslha) over sunflower sugarcane system. Sunflower t sugarcane (CP) system produced taller cane (214 cm) than other systems. Use of polythene bag raised settlings increased the cane yield by 17% in wheat sugarcane system. The variation in cane yield was observed due to variation in date \ of planting under different systems. Sugarcane sunflower (ethephon sprayed) system also produced the highest number of millable canes (1 59,000) and cane yield (72.9 tonneslha) in subsequent ratoon. Sugarcane (ethephon sprayed) sunflower system fetched highest net return (Rs 78,000lha) and benefit :cost ratio (3.27). However, for .late planting conditions in wheat cane system the use of polythene bag raised settlings was found quite remu nerative (Rs 69,596lha net return and benefit : cost ratio 3.16)

491 Intercropping of Spring-planted Sugarcane with Sweetpotato and Cowpea Under Conditions of Middle Egypt

Sugarcane, cowpea, and sweetpotato were grown in sole and intercrop systems at Experimental Station, Mallawi, Egypt (lat. 28°N) in the two spring seasons in 1996 and 1997 to determine the effects of cropping system on yield and yield components. The soil texture of the experimental site was loamy with a pH of 8.2. Results showed significant differences in yield and yield components of cane, cowpea, and sweetpotato due to intercropping treatments. Sugarcane intercropping caused signficant reduction in yield of sweetpotato and cowpea. The average yields of both sweetpotato and cowpea in the intercrop system were about 19.8 % and 29.9 %, respectively, of those of sole crop yields. Moreover, sweetpotato was more competitive than cowpea when intercropped. Furthermore, the magnitude of differences in sugarcane was low between sole and intercropped system as compared to sweet potato or cowpea. All yield attributes of cowpea and sweetpotato were better for the sole planted as compared to those for intrecrop treatments. Intercropping of one cowpea row sown at 15-cm hill spacing, between two sugarcane rows produced the maximum Land Equivalent Ratio (LER). This work suggests that the best cash return could be obtained when a single cowpea row planted at 30-cm hill spacing, is intercropped between two springplanted sugarcane rows.

WEED MANAGEMENT IN SUGARCANE INTERCROPPING SYSTEM

A field experiment was conducted at Sugarcane Research Station, Cuddalore, during 1989-1992 to find out the suitable herbicide for sugarcane intercropping system. Experimental results revealed that the preemergence application of thiobencarb 1.25 kg/ha gave the highest weed control efficiency (84.9% in black gram, 88.3% in soybean and 77.6% in groundnut) and it was on par with hand weeding practice. In all the intercrops, application of thiobencarb @ 1.25 kg/ha was found to be economical and gave better weed control efficiency. The results were comparable with that of two hand weedings. However, metribuzin @ 0.5 kg/ha proved phytotoxic to intercrops.

The relative importance of competition for water and for light in intercropping of sugar cane with maize

Two field trials were conducted in Mauritius to investigate the importance of competition for water relative to light in a mixed crop of plant sugar cane and maize. In the first trial under irrigation, the root systems of the component crops were separated by means of plastic partitions in the soil in order to prevent below-ground interactions. The partitions reduced maize growth and yield slightly but had no effect on sugar cane growth and yield. In the presence as well as absence of the partitions, the maize caused large reductions in the cane biomass, tiller number, cane stalk yield and sugar yield. Since below ground interactions had been prevented, all of the adverse effects of the maize on the cane were attributed to shading of the cane. In the second trial in the sub-humid zone, by withholding irrigation or by drip-irrigating at 2 frequencies, the crops were made to suffer from severe or mild water stress or from no water stress. The response to irrigation of the intercropped maize did not benefit from water applied to the cane. In the first 16 weeks when the maize was present in the mixture, the biomass and tillering of the intercropped cane were severely reduced under the rainfed as well as the properly-irrigated conditions. This implies that water stress was not the cause of the reductions in growth. Some evidence was obtained from plant extension rate, a sensitive indicator of water stress in cane, that the intercropped cane may nevertheless have experienced more water stress than the sole cane. This need not have been caused by direct competition for water; it could have been the indirect result of competition for light. In both trials, it was observed that although the growth of the cane was at first drastically reduced by the maize, it accelerated after the harvest and removal of the maize. The term ‘rattrapage’ is proposed for this ability of sugar cane to offset initial setbacks in its growth. The results show that the maize competed with the cane for light and that, at first, the adverse effects on cane growth were not attenuated by an adequate supply of water. Later, when the maize was removed, an adequate supply of water was necessary to ensure rapid and complete ‘rattrapage’ and hence, full cane yields.

Resource use in intercropping systems

Sorghum/pigeonpea and millet/groundnut intercropping systems are described to illustrate temporal and spatial complementarity and the magnitude of yield advantages that can be achieved in intercropping compared with sole cropping. The concept of considering environmental resource use in terms of ‘resource capture’ and ‘resource conversion efficiency’ is outlined and is then used to examine the resources of light, water and nutrients. Some implications for sugarcane intercropping are considered with particular emphasis on complementarity, resource use and the need for clear evaluation of objectives.

Intercropping Sugarcane with Maize

SUMMARYThe production of maize in every second inter-row of first and second ratoon sugar cane was studied in four locations in Mauritius in 1974, in trials based on combinations of three maize densities and three fertilizer levels. Analysis of the data showed that intercropping sugar cane with maize had no adverse effects on cane and sugar yields, and suggested that planting an early-maturing maize amongst the cane at a density of 19,000 plants, with 76 kg N, 38 kg P2O5, 62 kg K2O/ha, was the most profitable method under Mauritian conditions.